“The Book of the Monk and Nun Club” is obviously a take-off on the old “Book of the Month” Club. Members of that club would sign up and receive a new book each month. Ah, mass entertainment. There’s a time and place for it.
As monks and nuns, however, we often engage reading not only for entertainment, which is fine, but also, and more often, as a form of meditation. So for us, a month is often way too quick for many of the books we read and cherish.
Most of us have books we return to time and time again– the Bible, the Bahgavad Gita, The Power of Now, I Am That, the I Ching, the Tao Te Ching, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, The Little Engine that Could, , to name a few. Many of us have books we read and re-read for years, decades. Indeed, such books– some books– are lifelong companions. So be it. Thank God. Praise be for books.
Some books–Journey to the East, Slaughter House Five, First and Last Freedom— have such an impact on us at some point on our pilgrimage that we revere them for the rest of our lives,though we may not actually re-read them ever again, or until our dotage, when our hair is white.
Nevertheless, it is useful to acknowledge we each have books that have meant so much to us– in a particular time and place– that we want to share them, talk about them with others who have likewise been so moved.
Thus, the origin and purpose of the Book of the Monk and Nun Club. The emphasis here is on the word club— we are a group dedicated to sharing and discussing life-changing books.
So, what are you reading these days? Would like to hear from you.
[si-contact-form form=’1′]
Recent Comments